Nehemiah 5:1-9

1About that time there wasH1961 a greatH1419 outcryH6818 from the peopleH5971 and their wivesH802 againstH413 their fellowH251 JewsH3064.

2

SomeH834 were sayingH559, “WeH587 and our sonsH1121 and daughtersH1323 are numerousH7227. We must getH3947 grainH1715 in order to eatH398 and stay aliveH2421.”

3

OthersH834 were sayingH559, “WeH587 are mortgagingH6148 our fieldsH7704, our vineyardsH3754, and our homesH1004 to getH3947 grainH1715 during the famineH7458.”

4

Still othersH834 were sayingH559, “We have borrowedH3867 moneyH3701 to pay the king’sH4428 taxH4060 on our fieldsH7704 and vineyardsH3754. 5We and our childrenH1121 are just like our countrymenH251H1320 and their childrenH1121H2009, yet weH587 are subjectingH3533 our sonsH1121 and daughtersH1323 to slaveryH5650. Some ofH3426 our daughtersH1323 are already enslavedH3533, but we are powerlessH369H410H3027 to redeem them because our fieldsH7704 and vineyardsH3754 belong to othersH312.”

6WhenH834 I heardH8085 their outcryH2201 and theseH428 complaintsH1697, I became extremelyH3966 angryH2734, 7and after seriousH3820 thoughtH4427 I rebukedH7378 the noblesH2715H854 and officialsH5461, sayingH559, “YouH376H859 are exactingH5378 usuryH4855 from your own brothersH251!”

So I calledH5414 a largeH1419 assemblyH6952 against themH5921 8and saidH559, “WeH587 have done our bestH1767 to buy backH7069 our JewishH3064 brothersH251 who were soldH4376 to foreignersH1471, but now youH859 are sellingH4376 your own brothersH251, that they may be sold backH4376 to us!”

But they remained silentH2790, for they could findH4672 nothingH3808 to sayH1697.

9So I continuedH559, “WhatH834 youH859 are doingH6213 is notH3808 rightH2896H1697. Shouldn’tH3808 you walkH1980 in the fearH3374 of our GodH430 to avoid the reproachH2781 of our foreignH1471 enemiesH341?